Ok I just browsed a bunch of painted fireplaces on this app. Of course most are white and look amazing. Maybe I need to focus on the mantle. ??

If you are not completely set on saving the brick, which does not look to be authentic, I would replace it and the hearth with something else like a stone mosaic or porcelain. I cannot see the rest of the room, so I cannot tell if your style is traditional or a bit more transitional.

@ Lauren, there are multiple threads on this room and the issues at hand if you want to see more pix. We are working through living and dining rooms, TV placement, etc. This is the first dilemma posted regarding the FP. Discussed TV above it as a possibililty. The flanking areas are not really viable yet - they're windows that have been covered over with a wine cellar built on the other side of the FP wall.

Mantle would be great.. As to paint I would paint the entire wall and stone a great color to take the focus off the brick square which is not special enough on its own..maybe the wine color of the curtains or a more sedate charcoal gray or bride lighter blue-gray..the color choice could be any accent color you like that goes with the rest of your room

I would love to make this wall my accent wall but cannot decide on a color. The other walls are Benjamin Moore 'burlap'.
I tried a blue for the accent wall, didn't like it and covered it in what you see in the picture: Benjamin Moore 'hazelnut cream'.
So I need color ideas for this wall! The curtains are going to be replaced after I choose a final color for the fireplace / accent wall.
Should the fireplace be the same color as the accent wall?
I'll attach a picture of the other wall color. I just painted it and really like the color. I won't be changing it. (It's the burlap I referred to above)

I prefer accent walls be unpierced by windows and doors. A single FP surrounded by accent color is ok but you have more openings than wall here, so accent color won't work. Try using one on the dining wall behind the hutch.

Deco - I like that idea. Should I paint my FP wall the same as the others then?

Fp is always the focal point & it needs cleaning first. How about a taupe or warm gray?

I clean those damn bricks all the time! That's another reason I don't want white anymore. It's a wood burning FP so we get ashes & soot etc.
does grey go with the wall color?

Yes!

I think the fireplace needs a slab of stone...around the surround and hearth...with a mantle...it will make it timeless!

Happyleg: just to clarify : grey wall & white bricks for that wall, and my other walls (burlap by Benjamin Moore) will look ok?
If not please be as specific as u can. I like the idea of grey, but
I guess I never picture grey alongside neutral colors. But that's why I'm here, right? :-)

Happyleg did you mean grey FP bricks & wall? Or just grey wall with white bricks? Sorry - I've had a glass or two of Chardonnay.

Drywall the whole thing, paint Chinese red, hang art.

I say try out a turquoise on the brick & gold for the frame! Just make sure you include those colors as accents somewhere else in the room. Good luck!

Brick. Or do the above.

The wall like groveraxle.

I love the dark grey, needs a good mantel piece

I'm planning this (see pic) for my hideous white fireplace. Found plenty of painting tips when I googled but like this method the best http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/other-areas/modern-fireplace-makeover/project

Andrea - OMG thank you for the idea! I went right to the lowes link to check it out. It's gonna happen. Thankfully my FP is smallish so I won't be laboring over it for too long.

And because it's small, it won't make much of an impact. I think you would do better to focus on closing up the windows and dealing with the whole wall, rather than tinkering with parts of it in isolation.

Here is the midnight blue that BM pairs with your burlap on just the fireplace and on the whole wall.

LOVE that blue!

Groveraxle I like the blue!

Groveraxle unfortunately I don't think I can close up those windows. I was thinking bamboo shades or some other light natural type of wood. You think it will be too dark?